Food & Recipes

A mocktail made with Curious Elixir #1, during Dry January.
Food & Recipes

A First-Hand Account of Dry January

As I mentioned in my last blog, last month we decided to take part in the Dry January movement — giving up all alcohol for 31 days as a “reset” on our relationship with alcohol. But as long-time readers of this blog know, we like our cocktails! So you might be wondering; how did Dry […]

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Food & Recipes

Ranking the Best Alcohol Alternatives for Dry January (or Everyday Mocktails!)

This month, the Hubby and I are participating in a “Dry January” in which we gave up all alcoholic drinks as a reset of our own drinking behavior. Dry January started originally as a trend in the UK, and has since gained popularity around the world. However, after a few days of not drinking, we […]

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Some of this year's homemade gifts including jars of honey roasted pecans, honeycomb soap, and beeswax candles.
Food & Recipes Hobbies

How To: Honey Roasted Pecans & Pecan Pralines

This year, we once again decided to make homemade Christmas gifts for our family and friends, and with a bumper pecan crop, pecans became one of the dominant focuses of our gifts. You see, right in our front yard, we have a MONSTER pecan tree. The tree is taller than our two-story house. And every […]

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Bacon & Corn Chowder - a perfect fall dinner!
Food & Recipes

Early Fall Bacon & Corn Chowder

Today is officially the first day of fall! And with Austin experiencing an unusually rainy September, I thought it would be a great day to bust out a chowder: specifically a potato-bacon-corn-serrano chowder that pulls in some of those late-summer veggies we’re still seeing fresh & local this time of year. Bacon & Corn Chowder […]

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The finished product: individual servings of freezer garlic bread
Food & Recipes

Single-Serving Freezer Garlic Bread

In news that will surprise absolutely no one: I love carbs. What’s somewhat interesting about that is that I don’t have much of a sweet tooth, rather the carbs I crave are savory: pastas, potatoes, and one of my absolute favorite indulgences, garlic bread. But the problem with garlic bread is that it doesn’t really […]

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Three Great Make Ahead Salads for the Work Week
Food & Recipes

Three Tasty Make Ahead Salads for the Work Week

I think we all struggle with that age old question of what to eat for lunch each day while we’re in the office. While it can be great to get out of the workplace mid-day, bringing your lunch is healthy, efficient, and economical. And, with make ahead salads like the ones below, it can even […]

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Our second freezer is full of meat purchased at a heavy discount.
Food & Recipes Money

Saving Money With a Second Freezer

Today, after having returned from our holiday vacation to visit family, it was once again time to go grocery shopping and stock up for the coming week. So, I made my list and proceeded to visit three different grocery stores, then filled our second freezer with my many goodies. Wait…what? Yes, you read that right. […]

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What is the best boxed wine? We tasted seven top varieties to find out.
Food & Recipes Party Planning

What is the Best Boxed Wine? Red Wine 2017 Edition

It’s no surprise to anyone who has ever met me that I like wine. A perfectly paired wine with a nice meal is one of the great pleasures in life. But sometimes…if you’re just sitting around the house after a nightmarish day of work, for example, or you’re craving a glass when your significant other […]

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Weight Watchers Friendly Recipe: Italian Herb Pork Roast with Sweet Potato-Apple-Shallot Hash
Food & Recipes

Weight Watchers Friendly Recipe: Herbed Pork Tenderloin with Sweet Potato & Apple Hash

This post contains affiliate links. For more information, please see our advertising disclosure. When it comes to pork, there’s really no more classic flavor combination that pork chops and applesauce. But personally, I’m not a big fan of applesauce. The texture is too much like baby food: I prefer to chew my dinner, thank you […]

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Raspberry Rosé Sorbet is a Perfect Summer Adults-Only Treat
Food & Recipes

Perfect Summer Recipe: Raspberry Rosé Sorbet

This post contains affiliate links. For more info, see our Advertising Disclosure. Guys, it’s hot. Like, brutally hot. The temperature in Austin today is supposed to get up to 98, and the heat index will be well into the hundreds. It’s too hot for eating normal food. Hell, it’s even too hot for normal ice cream, […]

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